#44: no longer satisfied with passive transmission
Welcome to issue #44 of THIS NEWSLETTER CANNOT SAVE YOU. Sorry it took so long to get this issue into your inboxes. I like to include ten recommendations each issue, and I was stuck at nine for a long time. I never actually did find a tenth that I was happy with. You might think I could crawl through my vast archives looking for some forgotten treasure from the past that deserves further contemplation in the light of day, but after forty-three issues of this newsletter, you could imagine I might have been down that rabbit hole a few times already.
Anyway nine it is.
Scottovision
"Concerning the Conduct of the Search" (2023) - Glitch hop producer Daedelus released a new album recently, and the first music video to accompany it is equal parts unnerving and compelling. It's seemingly just photos of televisions adrift in strange contexts. Sometimes their owners hover nearby, as if patiently awaiting further instructions; sometimes mysterious figures occupy their screens, and who knows if they're part of an actual signal. Perhaps these TVs are no longer satisfied with passive transmission, and are becoming agents before our eyes. Directed by John Luke Grubb.
"Don't Stop" (2023) - Described as "a contemporary fable about being young in the world today," this is one of those music videos that crept on me and surprised me with its effectiveness. The track is a hip-hop infused cover of the Fleetwood Mac song, performed by Future Utopia ft. Avelino and Tomorrow's Warriors, and the video is promoted as "a Greenpeace film." Tension mounts as the catering staff at a posh event for the ludicrously rich is forced into dangerous circumstances, and it's a clever albeit obvious allegory for <waves hand vaguely> all this.
"Polymorphic" (2022) - Oh, but surely you have time for a one-minute animated film depicting a giant brain being airlifted into a giant head, yes?
"So What" (2023) - Highly psychedelic AI-driven visuals are deployed to illustrate a comic monologue from Duncan Trussell, creator of The Midnight Gospel and host of The Duncan Trussell Family Hour. It's a rant that veers from deeply philosophical to slapstick profanity, all on the subject of humanity's quest for transcendence, and while Trussell veers off into the occasional woo tangent, he's on point delivering the message that you needn't look too far beyond yourself to find peace. The visuals, meanwhile, are evocative and beautiful, and the music underneath it all is provided by East Forest. Directed by David Lobser.
"VLOG" & "VLOG #2" (2023) - Gonzo filmmaker Alan Resnick has started a VLOG! That's short for video blog! As he puts it, "Vloging is an art form. Hopefully today a happy day without tragedy."
"Oxytocin" (2023) - An animated short film by Jeron Braxton, who describes it as "a surreal exploration of poverty and exploitation." What would you do to ensure you and your loved ones were onboard the space ark when it leaves the planet and escapes the pending apocalypse?
"Nosis" (2018) - A dark and bizarre animated short film about a young boy who develops the power to smell the deep mysteries of life. Hijinx ensue, obviously. This was a graduation project for animator Vincenz Neuhaus, and I'm both intrigued and intimidated to investigate his output since then.
"Star Tree of Arm Jouth" (2023) - This impressionistic animated short feels like the trailer to a surreal epic film or weirdly inspirational quest-driven video game, but unlike modern trailers, the plot isn't revealed in this one. Except it's not a trailer, it's a self-contained film, and you'll just have to roll with it. Created by animator Jack Wedge, whose work frequently appears on Adult Swim.
Sorry, I had to veto my intended ninth recommendation. Sometimes you get unexpectedly enthusiastic about a jolting twenty-minute experimental video with 38 views and no discernible target audience, only to realize after a bit of contemplation that your readers might consider it a little bit abrasive.
Okay but if you really do want something abrasive, it's here.
Exit Music
Please enjoy a long-time favorite of mine by Boom Bip, from his classic 2005 electronic album Blue Eyed in the Red Room. The genre-bending track is called "Do's and Don'ts," featuring the vocals of Gruff Rhys from Super Furry Animals. It's on my mind because I finally managed to get my hands on the rare B-side, a remix of the song by Her Space Holiday that only appeared on a limited edition vinyl single. You can enjoy that remix as a bonus track here.
A YouTube playlist with this issue’s recs can be found here.
Until next time, I remain your friendly correspondent, thinking of you,
Scotto
Scotto Moore is the author of WILD MASSIVE, BATTLE OF THE LINGUIST MAGES, and YOUR FAVORITE BAND CANNOT SAVE YOU.
